KY:Historical Society - Historical Marker Database

KYHistorical Society

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Civil War Actions
(Marker Number: 549)

County: Henry
Location: 1 mi. N. of New Castle, US 421

Description: On Sept. 21, 1862 cavalry men under Maj. George M. Jessee, a native here, attacked provost marshal Robert Morris' home guard. Guards surrendered men, horses, and 300 stand of arms. Dec. 13, 1864, Maj. Jessee and Confederate forces were defeated here after a spirited skirmish with state troops and home guards led by Capt. Jas. H. Bridgewater.

(Subjects: Civil War)

County Named, 1798
(Marker Number: 805)

County: Henry
Location: New Castle, Courthouse lawn, US 421

Description: For Patrick Henry, 1736-99, patriot, orator. "Give me liberty or give me death." Va. House of Burgesses, 1765; the Continental Congress, 1774-76; Gov. of Va., 1776-79 and 1784-86. Opposed Va. ratification of U.S. Const., 1788, without Bill of Rights; later added. Declined appointments as U.S. Senator, Secretary of State, Chief Justice, Minister to France.

(Subjects: Henry, Patrick)

Drennon Springs - 9 miles
(Marker Number: 122)

County: Henry
Location: 1 mi. N. of New Castle, US 421, Henry Co.

Description: Discovered and used by Indians for medicinal properties. Claimed by Jacob Drennon and Matthew Bracken, July 26, 1773. On April 1, 1785, Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia, issued to George Rogers Clark a patent for 400 acres including the springs. Site of the famous Drennon Springs Hotel and the Western Military Academy 1851.

(Subjects: Clark, George Rogers | Henry, Patrick)

Dutch Colony Here
(Marker Number: 852)

County: Henry
Location: 1 m. S. of Pleasureville, US 421

Description: In 1780 communal colonists came from Penn. to Mercer Co., Ky. In 1784 thirty of the families came here, purchased 10,000 acres from Squire Boone. Lived in log fort. Managed by Abraham Banta; George Bergen made trustee later. Shaker missionaries from New York tried to convert colonists, 1804. Their doctrine accepted by a few, who followed John Banta to Mercer Co.

(Subjects: Boone, Squire | Shakers)

Eminence College Site
(Marker Number: 2043)

County: Henry
Location: 1/4 mi. S. of Eminence, KY 55 North

Description: Chartered as a high school by Kentucky Legislature in 1856. The school had as trustees Dr. D. Porter, S.T. Drane, Morris Thomas, Preston Thomas, James Drane, W.B. Wilson, and W.J. Mason. In 1861, the name Eminence College conferred on it. Men and women were equally represented at one of state's first coeducational boarding schools. Presented by City of Eminence and Henry County Fiscal Court.

(Reverse) Rev. W.S. Giltner (1827-1921) - President of Eminence College from 1858-1893, W.S. Giltner trained at Bethany College, W. Va. He and his wife, Lizzie Rains Giltner, led the college, creating a commercial dept. (1880) and normal school for training teachers (1886). Reverend Giltner also preached at Eminence Christian Church. Enrollment peaked around 200; college closed in 1895.

(Subjects: Christian Church)

Old Pollard Inn
(Marker Number: 798)

County: Henry
Location: 4 mi. N. of Pleasureville, US 421

Description: Built c. 1790. Later a stage coach inn. James G. Blaine when teacher at Western Military Institute, Drennon Springs, 1850-51, frequent guest. He was later Congressman, Senator, U.S. Secretary of State, candidate for President in 1884. Gen. John H. Morgan and Capt. T. H. Hines, Confederate Raiders, found shelter here, Dec. 1, 1863, after escape from prison in Ohio.

(Subjects: Morgan, John Hunt)